Couldn't Save Both
by UnstoppableForce
Summary: Alternate ending to Requiem. Tony doesn't manage to revive both Gibbs and Maddie. Gen


Born from a comment made over on the 'hugthetony' comm on LJ. Thank you snowdarkred for the idea. :)

Alternate ending to Requiem.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own NCIS.

Reviews are much appreciated. :D

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"C'mon Boss, don't do this to me!"

He took a breath.

"Don't make me kiss you Boss!"

_Damn. I forgot, threats don't work on you do they Boss?_

He pinched Gibbs' nose, opened his mouth and breathed for him twice, checked his pulse... nothing. Rinse and repeat. This time he was successful.

_A pulse! Good Gibbs. Clever Gibbs._

Tony was gasping for breath, sitting back up. Gibbs was breathing, he had a pulse, but he was still unconscious. Tony rolled him onto his side, knowing that there would be water in his lungs. Seeing Gibbs regain consciousness abruptly to cough up said water was heartening, and Tony started to get up, to see to Maddie.

_Right, Gibbs is breathing, now for the girl- whoa... I don't think the world is supposed to be spinning like that... at least, it wasn't last time I checked. _

Tony wobbled on his knees, nearly ending up back on the dock, but he managed to hold steady.

Somehow.

"_Suck it up DiNozzo, get to the girl."_

He could almost see Gibbs saying that in his mind. _Damn, I've been with him too long. I knew I'd lose my mind and start literally channelling him in my brain eventually. The girl Tony, the girl! How could you have forgotten about the girl? Must. Headslap. Self._

In his defence, he did _try _to stand up. He just... didn't quite make it. His head was spinning and spinning faster and faster, his vision was darkening, then –

Nothing.

.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

_Beep. Beep. Beep. I hate hospitals. I swear the doctors have ulterior motives. Trying to drive the patients insane with the infernal beeping, so they can fill their quota of... something. Psych patients? I don't know._

Tony opened one eye, glaring half-heartedly at the monitors at the side of his bed before turning onto his side fully. Once settled, he adjusted the nasal cannula he had, carefully de-tangled the clip on his finger monitoring his pulse from his IV tubing – _I hate those things_ – before looking at who was sitting next to his bed.

_Gibbs. What's he doing here?_

Apparently Gibbs could read minds now too,, since he raised his eyebrows just before he opened his mouth.

"Why wouldn't I be here, Tony?"

_Because I'm an idiot? Because I couldn't save Kelly's childhood best friend's life? Because I'm weak and I passed out? Take your pick Gibbs, unless you have something else in mind that you can blame me for this time._

Tony could have said any one of those things, but in the end, he just shrugged.

"I'm here, because you're my agent, Tony. I look after my people, remember?"

_Yeah, you do. Not me for much longer though, since you're more than likely gonna fire me in oh... 30 seconds? If it's even that long..._

"Yeah, I remember."

Tony knew that Gibbs saw straight through the façade, knew he didn't believe a word he'd said, so he decided to strategically change the subject.

Sorta.

"So, what happened after I... uh..."

"After you passed out on me DiNozzo?" Gibbs said dryly, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah."

"Ziva and McGee turned up. Checked on us, called EMS. McGee revived Maddie, she's okay, being discharged now."

_So she lived. That's good. Explains why Gibbs hasn't killed me yet, anyway._

"That's good. Are you okay Boss?"

Gibbs chuckled.

"I'm fine, was discharged myself a couple of hours ago."

_Couple of hours ago?_

"How long have I-"

"Been unconscious? 6 hours, give or take. You were exhausted, diving in twice, pulling out that windshield, yanking that steering wheel out of the way – and don't say you didn't, because I sure as hell couldn't get it to move, and it was still stuck when I lost consciousness – plus CPR. The doctors want you to stay on the oxygen for tonight, making it easier on your lungs. You strained them apparently, and they want to keep an eye on your temperature, it's a little lower than they're happy with. Okay?"

Tony nodded, too tired to argue. Then Gibbs did a very strange thing. He got up off the chair that he'd been sitting on, walked over to the side of Tony's bed, leant over, and _hugged _him. Actually hugged him. Not a quick half second one either, a proper hug. Tony shamelessly snuggled in, the warmth was nice, after all. That river had been freezing.

Gibbs bent his head down towards Tony's ear to whisper.

"Thank you, Tony. You did good."

Now _that _was better than fancy medicines and pretty nurses anyday.

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Please review? :D


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